WORLD
US Mega Millions jackpot rises to $550m
Baku, December 16 (AZERTAC). The Mega Millions jackpot rises to $550 million (£338m) after no winning tickets were bought for last night`s draw.
The amount is the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever, trailing only a $656 million jackpot won in March 2012.
Friday`s lucky numbers were 19, 24, 26, 27, 70 and the mega ball was 12.
If a lucky ticket-buyer matches Tuesday`s numbers they will be able to take away an immediate cash prize of $295 million.
Powerball jackpots started ballooning more quickly after the game increased its ticket price in January 2012 from $1 to $2, but Mega Millions operators kept the price of a ticket at $1.
However, in October, Mega Millions significantly lowered the odds of winning the jackpot, thereby increasing the chances of it rolling over.
The current jackpot has now rolled over 21 times without a winner.
"The revamp has given us a game that has a better chance of rolling and growing more quickly," said Paula Otto, the Virginia Lottery`s executive director and Mega Millions` lead director.
"There`s some things we can control, there`s some things that we can`t control. Of the things we can control, those changes seem to be working."
Mega Millions, which originally was played in 12 states, expanded its reach alongside Powerball after a 2010 licensing agreement.
Both games are now played in 43 states, plus the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands.
While Mega Millions remains $1 a ticket, five of the six numbers needed for a jackpot win now range from 1 to 75, instead of the previous 1 to 56.
The sixth number, which is the gold Mega Millions ball, is now from 1 to 15 in the revamp, instead of 1 to 46.
The changes decreased the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot from about 1 in 176 million, which is nearly the odds of winning Powerball`s jackpot, to roughly 1 in 259 million.
Although Mega Millions was offered in far fewer states than Powerball until the past few years, it may now start sharing Powerball`s spotlight because of larger payouts.